An informal meeting of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) consultations on System-wide Coherence took place on 7 February 2008 in New York, US, aiming to take stock of recent developments and the report of the previous Co-Chairs during the 61st UNGA session.

The new Co-Chairs, Augustine Mahiga (Tanzania) and Paul Kavanagh (Ireland), proposed using a bottom-up approach in exploring ways for the UN to work more coherently and effectively. Co-Chair Mahiga stressed that they would strive to reach an agreement in June 2008 on the modalities for implementing greater coherence across the UN development activities system, noting that this will require a careful assessment of progress made so far, particularly focusing on the implementation of the ‘One UN’ pilot projects. He also said that the Co-Chairs plan to tour four pilot-countries and report back to member States in mid-March 2008. UNGA President Srgjan Kerim cited recent encouraging developments, including the adoption of the Triennial Comprehensive Policy Review, which contains many elements that will promote better coherence across the UN’s operational activities for development, and he also stressed the importance of system-wide coherence in the context of achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Among the statements made, the EU, Japan, Canada, Australia and New Zealand stressed the importance of increased efficiency and accountability “on the ground,” while the G-77/China put priority on overall funding, development and governance, as well as demand-driven development cooperation. A more detailed program of work is expected from the Co-Chairs shortly.
In related news, the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has announced that it will host a conference entitled United Nations System-Wide Coherence: The Next Steps from 4-5 March 2008 in Vienna, Austria. This high-level conference will provide a platform for interactive and action-oriented discussions on the development aspects of system-wide coherence and the “Delivering as One UN” initiative, among representatives of governments, aid agencies and UN organizations.
Links to further information
Center for UN Reform Education news release, 12 February 2008
UNGA President Srgjan Kerim’s statement
UNIDO conference website